Coated filament and article therefrom



1955 E. F. SACHARA COATED FILAMENT AND ARTICLE THEREFROM Filed Nov. 26, 1952 H 5 mm E FF 5 m m E United States Patent (ZO'ATEDFILAMENT AND ARTICLE THEREFROM EugenerF. Sachara, Parma Heights, Ohio, assignor to The Be-F, Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New .York.

Application November 26, 1952, Serial-No. 322,609

Claims- (Cl. 57-140) This invention relates to coated filamentary material and pertains more particularly to flexible coated glass filaments or staple fibers and articles'therefrom.

For many years, cotton and wool fibers have been extensively employed in manufactured articles, although it has long been-recognized that these materials are not entirely satisfactory for use in numerous manufactured articlesbecause of their inherent low tensile strength and poor durability, particularly at elevated temperatures. As a consequence of the deficiencies inherent'incotton and wool fibers, industry is rapidly substituting artificially made filaments or staple; fibers for cotton and wool fibers in many fabricated; products. Among, those artificially made filaments or staple fibers-having physical properties super-iontocottonor wool'fibers'areglass filaments or staplefibers, ,uncoated glass filaments having been formed whichexhibita. tensile strength of over 1,000,000pounds per square. inch, a tensile strength. vastly superior to the tensile-strength of eithercotton or .wool fibers. However, evenwthoughthe physical properties of individual uncoated. glass filaments are excellent, it has been found that yarn fabricated from these'uncoat'ed. glass filaments is relatively weak,- it having been observedthat upon flexing-,anyarn of uncoated. glass. filaments individual filaments-of the yarn readily break causing; apremature failureof thev yarn.

In the copending: application of ChestenB. Budd: Serial No. 2.l8,klO8,-,,filed March29; 1951, it.was disclosedthat glassfilaments onstaplefibers having a. continuous unitary iminterrupted metal coating: overthe. circumferential face ofi each filament onstaple fiber-can beformed intoaa yarn having; properties,particularly flexing properties-;,vastly superior to those exhibited by: a' yarn: ofauncoatedo glass filaments onstaple' fibers orof cotton. or W001,

It hasbeen; observed, however, that certain metals, such as zinc, when ina--mo1ten condition, oxidizerapidly in normal atmosphere indicating a tdesirability to 'applyrthe metal coating to the glass filament imam/inert medium, such-as a-nitrogenor heliumrnedium, or. in auvacuum substantially; free of* oxygen. However, many-molten metals, for instance. zinc-, will not satisfactorily adhere :to

or:wet". a. glass surface when applied thereto in avacuum;

or in an inert atmosphere, such asxa nitrogen or helium medium. It has also been observed that the metal-toeglass EdhESlDIluOf certain: metals to. thewglasssurface of a. filament is-not assatisfactory as desired forcertain applications of metal-coated glass filaments.

I have: now found a group of'zinc alloys .Whichereadily form at-coati'ng; over the-glass surface .of 211 glassrfilament even when applied; in an inert medium, such asraanitrogen or helium. medium, an application that isimpossibletwhen pure Zinc/sisemployedv as the coating; compositions Furthermore, the a zinc alloys-employed in the: present invention adhere much more tenaciously to the glass surface of the fil ament or'staple fiber than doespurezinc' or othermetalssand alloyswhich melt-at relatively low temperatures:

Cir

2,720,076 Patented, Oct. 1 1, 1955 Also, the ease=with which the zinc alloysof thisinven. tion coat a glass-filamentis much greater as, compared to; the ease with which other metal compositions coat glass filaments.

To facilitate the teaching of this invention, reference will be made, henceforth, to the specificembodiments hereinafterd'escribed; however, it will be understood that I do not intend to limit the scope of. this invention to the specific embodiments described since they; are intended merely as. illustrations of this invention.

In thedrawings:

Fig. l is an enlarged perspectiveview-partly broken away and in section of a glass fiber embodying this in vention;

Fig, 2, is an enlarged perspective View of a-second, embodiment of; this invention;

Fig, 3 is an: enlargedvperspective view' of a glass fiber yarn embodying this invention;

Fig. 4-is anenlarged perspective view ofa glass filament cordembodying, this invention; and

Fig; 5. isian enlarged plan VifiW of a cloth woven from glass fiber yarn embodying this invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, fiber 10 comprises a'fiexible elongated: gla'ssbase member 11 desirably having a diameter smallenoughtoallow several of the glass fibers to be formedinto a yarn capable of being fabricated into cloth or-:cord;or"'the:lil e by-processes ordinarily employed in the textile industry. The term fiber" when used in this specification is intendeduto: include both filaments and staple fibers, a filament being a fiber having a length that exceedsabout'lfi' inches and a staple fiber being a fiber havingta length up to about 16 inches. The diameter of base-member 11' preferably does not exceed 0.01 inch, since glass fibers having a diameter exceeding 0.01 inch generally are relatively-brittle and rigid and, therefore, are not satisfactory for use'in yarn or cloth. It is clear that the silicate composition from which base member 11 is formedwill vary over a wide range depending upon the chemical-and physical properties desired. Glass fibers having desirable characteristics may be obtained from the Owens-Corning Fiberglas- Corporation under the name of Fib'erglais.

In accordance with thisinvention a coating or deposit 12" of an alloy comprising zinc and at least one metal selected from the group of metals consisting of titanium, zirconium-,- h'afnium, vanadium, niobium (columbium) and tantalum is" disposed in adherent relationshipover the circumferentialfaceof base member 11. As sh'ownin Fig, 1, coating 12 may be a continuous unitary film of 'thealloy' depositedoverthe entire circumferential face of -'basemember-m as shown in Fig; 2, may consist ofa discontinuous or interrupted coating disposed," in adherent relationship over the circumferential face of base member 11, such as a coating having a droplet of bead formation.

Preferably the zinc alloy from which coating 12 is formed comprises. from /2 to 7 per cent by weight of a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium (columbium) and tantalum, the balance of the alloy composition being zinc, although better results are obtained withalloys of zinc alloyed with from 1 to '2 per cent of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium (columbium) or tantalum. Excellent results have been obtained when a zinc-titanium alloy containingfrom to 7 per cent by weight, preferably from 1 to 2 per cent by weight, titanium is employedin-practicing this invention.

When a continuous "unitary film ofa zinc alloy within the purview of this-invention is'formed over base member 11, as'sh'own in Fig; 1, it is preferable that the metal coating have-a thickness of-from two monomolecular layers 3 up to 0.01 inch, a thickness of from 0.5 X10" inch to 05x10" inch being even more preferred.

Any method conventionally employed for applying a metal coating to a glass surface may be utilized to form coating 12 over base member 11. However, it is preferable that coating 12 be formed on base member 11 by bringing the glass base member in contact with the zinc alloy from which coating 12 is formed while the alloy composition is in a fluid condition, such as by bringing the base member in contact with the alloy while the alloy is in a molten phase and allowing the coating of molten metal adhering to the glass surface to solidify or by vaporizing the alloy in a vacuum and bringing the base member in contact with the vaporized or gaseous alloy composition to allow condensation of the vaporized metal on the surface of the base member.

The metal coated fibers of this invention may be utilized in several forms. For example, metal coated fibers may be twisted together, employing processes commonly known to the textile industry, to form a yarn 13, as shown in Fig. 3, which may be fabricated into numerous other articles of manufacture, such as cord 14, as shown in Fig. 4, which comprises several strands of yarn 13 twisted together in a conventional manner. Yarn 13 may also be fabricated into a cloth 15, as shown in Fig. 5, by knitting, weaving, braiding or the like, or into a weftless fabric.

The following examples clearly illustrate this invention, however it will be understood that these examples are intended merely as illustrations of this invention and that I do not intend to limit this invention to these specific examples.

Example I 0.000351 inch diameter glass filaments were coated with a zinc-titanium alloy containing 1 per cent by weight titanium. The metal coating was formed over the circumferential faces of the glass filaments by drawing the glass filaments through a molten mass of the zinctitanium alloy confined in an atmosphere of nitrogen, the filaments being drawn through the molten metal mass at the rate of about 1300 feet/minute. The coating deposited on the surfaces of the glass filaments was a somewhat irregular interrupted deposit having a droplet or beaded formation and adhered so tenaciously to the glass surfaces of the filaments that the coating could not be removed from the glass filaments by mechanical methods without causing portions of glass to be torn from the filaments along with the metallic coating. A pure zinc coating applied to the surface of a glass filament, however, readily can be mechanically removed from the filament with no apparent damage to the glass surface being observed.

Thirty-six of the coated filaments were twisted together to form a thirty-six filament yarn which when flexed through an arc of 150 at a constant rate exhibited a life span vastly superior to that of a yarn comprising thirty-six uncoated glass filaments.

Example II 0.000351 inch diameter glass filaments were coated with a zinc-titanium alloy containing 2 per cent by weight titanium. The alloy was applied to the circumferential faces of the glass filaments by drawing the glass filaments through a molten mass of the alloy confined in a helium atmosphere, the filaments being drawn through the molten mass of metal at the rate of feet/minute. A smooth continuous coating was formed over the entire circumferential face of the filaments which coating adhered tenaciously to the glass surface.

A thirty-six filament yarn formed of these coated filaments when flexed through an arc of 150 at a constant rate exhibited an excellent flex life as compared to a yarn comprising thirty-six uncoated glass filaments.

43, Example Ill 0.000351 inch diameter glass filaments were coated with a zinc-titanium alloy containing 1 per cent by weight titanium by drawing the glass filaments at a rate of 50 feet/minute through a molten mass of the zinc titanium alloy, the coating being applied in an atmosphere of nitrogen. A smooth continuous coating was formed over the entire circumferential faces of the glass filaments. The coating adhered so tenaciously to the glass surface of the filaments that it could not be dislodged mechanically from the glass surface without tearing particles of glass from the surface of the filament.

Thirty-six of these coated filaments were twisted together to form a yarn which when flexed through an arc of at a constant rate exhibited an excellent life span as compared to a thirty-six filament yarn of uncoated glass filaments.

Example IV 0.000351 inch diameter glass filaments were coated with a zinc-titanium alloy containing 1 per cent by weight titanium by drawing the glass filaments at a rate of 50 feet/minute through a molten mass of the Zinc-titanium alloy, the coating operation taking place in an atmosphere of air. A smooth continuous layer of the metal alloy was tenaciously formed over the circumferential faces of the filaments.

Thirty-six of these coated filaments were twisted into a yarn which when flexed through an arc of 150 at a constant rate exhibited an excellent life span as compared to a thirty-six filament yarn of uncoated glass filaments.

Coated filaments or staple fibers within the purview of this invention adhere tenaciously to binder materials, such as rubber, and a yarn formed of these filaments has excellent tensile strength and durability enabling the yarn to be formed into cloth or into cord, the cloth or cord being particularly useful as a reinforcing material for articles subjected to severe fiexure such as tires or conveyor and transmission belts and the like.

Also, yarns fabricated of filaments or staple fibers within the purview of this invention do not readily absorb moisture, nor will they shrink. The yarns, furthermore, are not susceptible to mildew deterioration.

The alloy coatings employed in practicing this invention adhere so tenaciously to the glass surface of the glass filament that they can not be removed by mechanical means without tearing particles of glass from the coated surface of the glass filament, a metal-to-glass bond not experienced when other metals or metal alloys are employed to coat the glass fiber.

The metal alloys employed in the present invention possess the unusual property of being capable of wetting or coating glass in an inert atmosphere, such as an atmosphere of nitrogen or helium, a method of application heretofore unknown.

While I have herein disclosed a few specific embodiments of this invention, it is clear that obvious variations and modifications of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A flexible fiber comprising a glass base member and a metal coating of an alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum disposed in adherent relationship over the circumferential face of said base member, said alloy adhering tenaciously directly to the glass base member so that the alloy can not be removed from the glass base member by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass base member.

2. A flexible staple fiber comprising a glass base member and a metal coating of an alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum and a.v metal. coatingofan alloy comprising zinc and. a

metalselectedl fromthe group consisting, of titanium, zirconium,=,hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum disposed in adherent relationship over the circumferential facetof said. base. member, said. alloy. adhering tenaciously directlytoathe. glass base member sothat the alloy can notbe. removed from. the glass base member by mechanical. methods without causing. damage to the glass base member.

4. A flexible fiber comprising aglass base member and a continuous unitary uninterrupted metal coating of an alloy comprising; zinc and a-metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium,-. hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum dis'posedin adherent relationship over the entire circumferential face 'of said base member, said al-loyadhering-tenaciously directly to the glass base member so that the alloy can-not be removed from the glass base member bymechanical methods without causing damage-to the glass base member.-

51 A flexible staple -fiber comprising a glass base member anda continuous unitary uninterrupted metal coating of an alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum disposed in adherent relationship over the entire circumferential face of said base member, said alloy adhering tenaciously directly to the glass base member so that the alloy can not be removed from the glass base member by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass base member.

6. A flexible filament comprising a glass base member and a continuous unitary uninterrupted metal coating of an alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum disposed in adherent relationship over the entire circumferential face of said base member, said alloy adhering tenaciously directly to the glass base member so that the alloy can not be removed from the glass base member by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass base member.

7. A flexible fiber comprising a glass base member and a discontinuous metal coating of an alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum disposed in adherent relationship over the entire circumferential face of said base member, said alloy adhering tenaciously directly to the glass base member so that the alloy can not be removed from the glass base member by mechanical methods Without causing damage to the glass base member.

8. A flexible staple fiber comprising a glass base member and a discontinuous metal coating of an alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum disposed in adherent relationship over the entire circumferential face of said base member, said alloy adhering tenaciously directly to the glass base member so that the alloy can not be removed from the glass base member by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass base member.

9. A flexible filament comprising a glass base member and a discontinuous metal coating of an alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum disposed in adherent relationship over the entire circumferential face of said base member, said alloy adhering tenaciously directly to the glass base member so that the alloy can not be removed from the glass base ti member by mechanical methods without causing d'amage to the glass b'asemember;

10.1A flexible fibercomprising a glass base member and a metal coatingof an alloy comprising; zinc and titanium disposedin adherent relationshipovertthe circumferentialface. of saidbase member, said alloy. adhering tenaciously directly to the glass base memberso that the alloy can not be. removed from, the glass base member by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glassbase member.

11. Aflexible yarn comprising flexible glassrfibers individually coated with a metal alloy comp rising zinc and aametal selected. from the group consisting of titanium, ZircOnium hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum, said coating of metal alloy on. each individual metalized glass. fiber adhering tenaciously directly to the individual glass fiber so that the coating can not be removed from the glass fiber by mechanical methods withoutcausing damage to the, glass fiber, the metal coating disposed over an individual glass fiber of said yarnv maintaiuing said glass fiber. essentially free from glass-to-glass contact with adjacent glassfih'ers of said yarn.

12. A flexible yarn comprising flexible. glass. staple fibers individually coated with a metal alloy, comprising zinoand a metal. selected from the groupuconsistingflof titanium, zirconium, vhafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum,flsaidv coating of, metal. alloy on each individual metalized glass fiber adhering tenaciously directly towthe individual. glass fibcrtso that the coating. can nottbetremoved from the glass fiber by mechanical methodswithout causing damage to the glass fiber, the metal coating disposed over an individual glass staple fiber of said yarn maintaining said glass staple fiber essentially free from glass-to-glass contact with adjacent glass staple fibers of said yarn.

13. A flexible yarn comprising flexible glass filaments individually coated with a metal alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum, said coating of metal alloy on each individual metalized glass filament adhering tenaciously directly to the individual glass filament so that the coating can not be removed from the glass filament by mechanical methods Without causing damage to the glass filament, the metal coating disposed over an individual glass filament of said yarn maintaining said glass filament essentially free from glass-to-glass contact with adjacent glass filaments of said yarn.

14. A flexible yarn comprising flexible glass fibers individually coated with a continuous unitary layer of a metal alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum, said coating of metal alloy on each individual metalized glass fiber adhering tenaciously directly to the individual glass fiber so that the coating can not be removed from the glas fiber by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass fiber.

15. A flexible yarn comprising flexible glass fibers individually coated with a discontinuous layer of a metal alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum, said coating of metal alloy on each individual metalized glass fiber adhering tenaciously directly to the individual glass fiber so that the coating can not be removed from the glass fiber by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass fiber, the metal coating disposed over an individual glass fiber of said yarn maintaining said glass fiber essentially free from glass-to-glass contact with adjacent glass fibers of said yarn.

16. A flexible yarn comprising flexible glass fibers individually coated with a metal alloy comprising zinc and titanium, said coating of metal alloy on each individual metalized glass fiber adhering tenaciously directly to the individual glass fiber so that the coating can not be removed from the glass fiber by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass fiber, the metal coating disposed over an individual glass fiber of said yarn maintaining said glass fiber essentially free from glass-toglass contact with adjacent glass fibers of said yarn.

17. A flexible yarn comprising flexible glass fibers individually coated with a continuous unitary layer of metal alloy disposed in adherent relationship over the entire circumferential face of the glass fiber, said metal alloy comprising zinc and titanium, said coating of metal alloy on each individual metalized glass fiber adhering tenaciously directly to the individual glass fiber so that the coating can not be removed from the glass fiber by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass fiber, the metal coating disposed over an individual glass fiber of said yarn maintaining said glass fiber essentially free from glass-to-glass contact with adjacent glass fibers of said yarn.

18. A flexible yarn comprising flexible glass fibers individually coated with a discontinuous layer of metal alloy disposed in adherent relationship over the entire circumferential face of the glass fiber, said metal alloy comprising zinc and titanium, said coating of metal alloy on each individual metalized glass fiber adhering tenaciously directly to the individual glass fiber so that the coating can not be removed from the glass fiber by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass fiber, the metal coating disposed over an individual glass fiber of said yarn maintaining said glass fiber essentially free from glass-to-glass contact with adjacent glass fibers of said yarn.

19. A flexible cord of yarn comprising flexible glass fibers individually coated with a metal alloy comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanaum, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum, said coating of metal alloy on each individual metalized glass fiber adhering tenaciously directly to the individual glass fiber so that the coating can not be removed from the glass fiber by mechanical methods without causing damage to the glass fiber, the metal coating disposed over an individual glass fiber of said yarn maintaining said glass fiber essentially free from glass-to-glass contact with adjacent glass fibers of said yarn.

20. The method of making a flexible fiber comprising providing a flexible glass base member and coating said glass base member in an inert atmosphere with a metal alloy in a fluid phase comprising zinc and a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium and tantalum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,237,328 Birdseye et al. Apr. 8, 1941 2,251,913 Brennan Aug. 12, 1941 2,344,733 Ripper Mar. 21, 1944 2,516,737 Wilson July 25, 1950 2,562,182 Godley July 31, 1951 2,583,855 Kenis July 29, 1952 2,616,165 Brennan Nov. 4, 1952 

20. THE METHOD OF MAKING A FLEXIBLE FIBER COMPRISING PROVIDING A FLEXIBLE GLASS BASE MEMBER AND COATING SAID GLASS BASE MEMBER IN AN INERT ATMOSPHERE WITH A METAL ALLOY IN A FLUID PHASE COMPRISING ZINC AND A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF TITANIUM, ZIRCONIUM, HAFNIUM, VANADIUM, NIOBIUM AND TANTALUM. 